Clock running out on legislation

The Clarion-Ledger, 2/18/8

The deadline for passing general legislation out of committees is Tuesday, so state lawmakers will have to act fast if they want their bills to survive the cut.

From a proposed pet lemon law to several pieces of legislation dealing with Hurricane Katrina-related insurance issues, hundreds of bills still are stuck in panels in both the House and Senate.

“If (bills are) put on the calendar, it’s our intent to take them up. We don’t want to cause any bill not to be considered because of time expiring,” House Speaker Billy McCoy told fellow representatives Friday. “That used to be the game here, but it’s not any longer.”